ebay | gear | off-road | overlanding | suvs | trucks | vehicle accessories
The fine folks from eBay Motors flew us to Summit County, Colorado to experience some of the many awesome upgrades they have available for overlanding. We conquered off-road trails in a Toyota Tacoma, a Lexus GX 470, a Porsche Taycan, and a vintage Jeep Cherokee, each outfitted with equipment to make the most of our driving adventures.
Our day began at a spectacular home overlooking Camp Hale. This would serve as our base camp for a series of rides, showing off each vehicle’s capabilities and demonstrating the benefits of their various overlanding upgrades. The view from our base camp was spectacular, and the location has a rich history, serving as a training base for the Army’s 10th Mountain Division during World War II. Among the beautiful surroundings are signs warning riders to avoid touching or removing unknown objects as there could still be live ammunition rounds.
Before we hit the trails, we got a brief look at the tricked-out rides that would help us conquer various trails. Whether you have a car, truck, crossover, station wagon, hatchback, or SUV, there are parts and accessories available to make overlanding more fun and help you reach more places. We learned that eBay Motors has over half a billion parts and accessories available for purchase, including new and used items from retailers and private sellers. Searching and ordering couldn’t be easier, and many items are covered by eBay’s Guaranteed Fit program, which ensures that whatever you order will fit your vehicle. You can return the item for a full refund if it doesn’t. Add vehicles to your virtual garage, and eBay will tell you if your selection will fit.
We started our first day behind the wheel of a new 2024 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4×4. The pickup was accessorized to show off how to haul lots of camping gear without significantly modifying your daily driver. The base Taco truck truck was upgraded with 17-inch Fuel Off-Road wheels wrapped in Scorpion All-Terrain Plus tires. Riding out to the trailhead, the washboard bumps were quite harsh since we were on the stock SR5 suspension, but otherwise, it proved its capabilities by riding up a rough and rocky path carved into the mountainside. We’d also love to see what a TRD Pro or Trailhunter could do out here.
The Tacoma was upgraded with a variety of goodies from Rough Country, including an electric winch hidden in the front bumper, an aluminum bed rack, a heavy-duty roof rack, LED ditch lights, and a 40″ LED light bar. The bed of the Tacoma also had a MOLLE storage panel for attaching gear and a wall-mounted air twin air compressor – a must-have accessory when you need to air back up after letting air out to drive on soft surfaces. The truck bed was loaded with a bunch of camping gear, including a tent, chairs, a table, and more, which we got to see unloaded when we reached the 11745-foot summit of our first trail. Along the way, we learned the best way to use a winch to rescue a stuck UTV and how to pull our truck out of trouble using a tree trunk as an anchor.
Our second overlanding-equipped ride was a 2009 Lexus GX 470. eBay Motors bought this SUV from their used car marketplace and kitted it out for some serious off-roading. The GX has always offered an outstanding balance of luxury and capability, and this body-on-frame workhorse proved it still has what it takes, even with 170,000 miles on the odometer. The V8-powered Lexus received some big upgrades, including a heavy-duty DV8 winch bumper, a lifted Stage 2 suspension from ICON, 17″ ICON Alloys Rebound wheels, and BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tires. The SUV also got a complete RCI skid plate package to protect its underside and a Dobinsons snorkel – though we didn’t wade in anything deeper than a puddle or two on this outing. The GX had no trouble negotiating one of the more challenging trails of our trip, with lots of deep ruts, blind drop-offs, and rocks for days.
When it comes to overlanding, the journey is as important as the destination – if not more so. Still, it was nice to know the Lexus had a Rhino-Rack rooftop tent and batwing awning installed, providing a cozy place to rest and relax at the trail’s end.
Day two had us head out in a car we never thought we’d drive on a dirt and gravel trail – a 2022 Porsche Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo. This pure-electric shooting brake has an all-wheel drivetrain that cranks out an incredible 670 horsepower and 626 lb-ft. of torque. With just 5.7 inches of ground clearance in standard mode, it’s a bit low to the ground for rock crawling, but its adjustable air suspension bumps that up to a more trail-friendly 6.9 inches. It also has a special gravel mode for enhanced traction on loose driving surfaces. While its sporty looks and high-power motors might be best suited to paved roads, we were impressed by how well the Taycan handled confidently on a gentle but heavily pockmarked trail. To help us achieve a safe and stable ride, the stock tires were replaced with Nitto Nomad Grappler tires with Porsche Aero wheels.
Mounted atop the Taycan was a Porsche Tequipment roof rack and rooftop tent. The tent was surprisingly easy to deploy and stow – both of which can be done by a single person in a few minutes. The inside of the tent is big enough for two adults and has excellent ventilation and lots of light, so it doesn’t feel cramped. Plus, a rooftop tent makes a nice statement that your six-figure Porsche isn’t just for runs to Whole Foods and Lululemon. If you don’t care so much about the Porsche branding, you can find the similar – and much less expensive – iKamper Skycamp 3.0 Mini in the eBay Motors store, too.
Last but certainly not least, we drove this 1999 Jeep Cherokee Sport in our rotation. Rolling on massive 35″ Nitto Ridge Grappler tires, 17″ Black Rhino beadlock wheels, and a lifted Rusty’s Offroad suspension, the 160,000-mile Jeep XJ was ready for anything we could throw at it. This boxy old 4×4 looked the part and was ready to take us on one of the most daunting off-road trails we’ve ever experienced. The highly technical McAllister Gulch trail included intense rock crawling, deeply rutted and muddy sections, knuckle-biting pitched switchbacks, and steep uphill climbs. Plus, for the part of the route, there were sheer drop-offs on one side of the vehicle for an extra boost of adrenaline. But to this 25-year-old Jeep, it was all old hat.
Also purchased on the eBay Motors marketplace, the classic Cherokee was bestowed with a variety of overlanding enhancements, including a Smittybuilt winch up front, an ARB rooftop tent, Dirtbound bumpers, sliders, and skid plates, a 50″ Rough Country light bar, and modern headlights and taillights. But it was the gear in the cargo area that was the true pièce de résistance.
What you’re looking at is a complete camp kitchen that travels with you. Two main Yakima components are on display here – their EXO Swing Base and an OpenRange Kitchen Deluxe. The hitch-mounted base unit provides a solid foundation for the kitchen system. It includes a pair of fold-out tables, a sturdy storage box with a drop-down shelf, and a 2-burner propane stove. This setup is great for prep, cooking, and serving meals wherever your adventures take you.
As we reached the pinnacle of our final trail, the skies opened up, and the rain came down, providing us with a dramatic photo op overlooking the Rockies. With time to contemplate our travels, the message became crystal clear. It doesn’t matter how old or new your ride is or whether you have the most rugged 4×4 or just an everyday car. With the right parts and accessories, any vehicle can take you to amazing places. Even if your ride can’t climb the most demanding trails, you can still have a great time. Fortunately, eBay Motors and its millions of sellers have everything you need to make your ride just how you want it and help you experience incredible overlanding memories.